Buzz
Living in or having experienced life in the US, you’ve likely observed certain practices that, while commonplace, are utterly absurd upon closer inspection. Think, "How is this even a thing? This is a total rip-off!" levels of absurdity. Redditor u/catlady427 sparked a conversation by asking, "What’s the most outrageous scam in America?" Unsurprisingly, the responses poured in. Here are 19 of the most eye-opening answers:
1. Charges imposed by banks
"You’re out of money, so we’ll penalize you for it."
— u/Bradyj23
"I ended up with $200 in fees within a week — even after freezing my card — because subscription services I’d shared my card details with bypassed the freeze and charged my account directly. I was furious."
— u/SchizoDogFucker
2. News presented as entertainment
— u/fast_cherry_bomb
"The FCC should mandate that broadcasters explicitly label any 'news' show that is actually 'opinion' content, from local news to cable networks."
— u/daporp
3. The exorbitant cost of college textbooks
"This course requires edition 10. They tweak a single chapter, rebrand it as a new edition, inflate the price, and exploit college students."
— u/leemurray98
4. Student debt
— u/Firebolt164
"A friend of mine neglected to close his student loan account AFTER paying it off. For years, he was unknowingly charged $5 monthly, accumulating a significant debt. ALL BECAUSE HE DIDN’T OFFICIALLY 'CLOSE' his account. What the heck?"
— u/Sublime_Dino
"I broke down on a call with a student loan representative recently. I was being penalized for a form they hadn’t processed yet. The financial strain was overwhelming, jeopardizing my ability to complete my education — all due to their backlogged system."
— u/Top_Distribution_693
5. Pyramid schemes
"Whatever multi-level marketing scheme my sister-in-law was pushing during Thanksgiving."
— u/YELL0Wvj
"MLMs are rampant in women’s social circles, exploiting those in vulnerable situations with false hopes of financial independence."
— u/janae0728
6. Medical insurance
— u/MFSimpson
"What frustrates me the most is when my daughter’s doctor prescribed her a specific medication, and the insurance company refused to cover it, claiming she didn’t need it. It’s absurd that they can override a doctor’s professional judgment based on their own assumptions."
— u/landob
"My private practice doctor once explained that his office would bill my insurance a certain amount, only for the insurance to counter with a lower figure. He often wouldn’t receive the actual payment until three to six months later."
— u/faux_pas1
7. Rent-to-own retailers
"These stores target individuals with poor credit, offering furniture and electronics at low weekly payments. If customers manage to pay on time and complete the payments, they end up paying two to three times the item’s actual value. If a payment is late, the item is taken back and resold, leaving the original buyer with nothing despite their payments."
— u/bgwa9001
"I once worked as a sales manager at a Rent-A-Center, and it felt like a massive scam. I still feel guilty about repossessing a fridge from a single mother. She cried while removing her groceries, saying, 'I have nowhere to store these; they’ll spoil.' Another time, I had to take back a bunk bed from two kids who asked their father where they’d sleep. It’s been years, but those memories still haunt me. Avoid rent-to-own stores at all costs."
— u/MaxTimeLord
8. The cost of university tuition
— u/DesireeDeep
"Community colleges are a great option—they’re affordable and open to everyone. However, four-year universities are outrageously expensive. Interestingly, my community college had better facilities, more experienced professors, and smaller classes, all at a fraction of the cost."
— u/dajadf
9. Payday lending companies
"It’s incredibly predatory and essentially legalized loan sharking."
— u/1980pzx
"When my husband and I were newlyweds, we were told payday loans would boost our credit. Instead, they’re seen as desperation loans, and our credit score plummeted even after repayment. It took ages to stop their relentless offers to 'improve our credit and clear debt simultaneously.' To this day, they send us mail urging us to borrow again. I wish someone had warned us about the pitfalls. We trusted them, and now we’re stuck waiting four more years for those inquiries to disappear from our credit history."
— u/thespicyfoxx
10. Online fraudsters selling 'exclusive secrets' through paid courses
— u/rateIdentity
"A former college classmate keeps spamming me with offers to buy his courses on becoming a successful lawyer... despite not being a lawyer himself."
— u/taleofbenji
11. The credit scoring system
"Paying off all your debts only to see your score drop? It’s like modern-day indentured servitude."
— u/privietmylove
"The FICO system is completely rigged. Last week, my credit scores dropped because the property management company reports my rent payments. The building owner switched to a new management company, who registered me as a new account. I’ve lived here for years, and the old account added valuable history to my report. Now, I’ve been hit with both a closed account and a new account mark. My credit usage and risk haven’t changed, but because two other parties made changes, my score took a hit."
— u/upthecounty
12. The expense of funerals
— u/jcfeej
"It shouldn’t cost thousands of dollars to bury someone. My aunt spent five years making payments for her daughter’s funeral. It’s just a box in the ground; why should it cost $8,000 to lay someone to rest?"
— u/coolreg214
13. Monopolies in cable TV and internet services
— u/dan1101
"The Spectrum representative who signed me up over the phone quoted a price but conveniently left out that it was a 'promotional rate.' After a year, the price skyrocketed by 50%."
— u/valuethempaths
14. The cost of insulin
— u/RazonaRay
"I inquired about a generic insulin today, which has been available for years. Without insurance, it costs $379. For the generic version. It’s as if they’re fine with letting us perish."
— u/vibes86
15. The two-party political framework
— u/Trends_
16. Ticketmaster's monopoly
— u/hopsteiner420
"They inflate ticket prices with countless hidden charges. A ticket listed at $50 ends up costing over $100 after Ticketmaster adds 'venue fees,' 'service fees,' and other nonsense."
— u/jthemusician
17. Enlisting in the military
"Defending my nation. Being exposed to hazardous chemicals. Struggling with health issues by 40, with little support from the society I protected."
— u/Neinbozobozobozo
"And once you return, veterans are often neglected by the government."
— u/TheJimDim
18. The entire healthcare system
"Charging a fee just to hold your newborn after delivery? Is this for real?"
— u/Limp-Sundae5177
"When you inquire about the cost of a procedure, they dodge the question and direct you to the 'medical billing company.' You can only reach them between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., where you’re placed on hold repeatedly and forced to share your insurance details with multiple representatives. Even if you support free markets, how can a market function if consumers can’t access pricing information upfront?"
— u/WaterCluster
19. And lastly, insurance
— u/chuckiefinstaaa
"Purchasing insurance only to have them deny a fair claim."
— u/spammmmmmmmy
